by PART I: Rebel Scum PART II: Forwards PART III: Attacking Mids & Wingers PART IV: Center Midfielders PART V: Fullbacks PART VI: Centerbacks PART VII: Goalkeepers
Roster
During his tenure as Detroit City’s head coach, Ben Pirmann has tweaked and evolved his roster-building strategy from year to year. The most noticeable evidence of this came last season, when, for the first time, City didn’t carry any players from The University of Michigan. The decision to instead fill the roster with more players who were able to stay with the team for the full summer paid off handsomely in the form of a Midwest Regional Title.
The philosophy for 2018 looks the same – as of now, the roster is split right down the middle between current and post-college players.
In College (17): Amann, Amigo, Bartel, Bentley, Brazil, Busaidy, Carroll, Garcia, Green, Mentzingen, Pina, Rudel, Shrimpton, Sinclair, Skinner, Svehlik, Tomasino
Post-College (17): Adkins, Centala, Chomakov, Dargent, Deakin, Edwardson, Fiscus, Janicki, Lawson, Miller, Moorman, O. Harris, S. Harris, Saydee, Steinwascher, Stephens, Williams
Further bolstering City’s cause, a good chunk of those college players go to small schools, which are generally more lenient when it comes to allowing their players to remain in Detroit for the duration of the season. Not only is this arguably City’s deepest and most talented roster ever, it’s also the one that’s most geared toward continuity and post-season preparedness.
At the back, there are two proven keepers and a good mix of veterans and college players vying for the four starting spots in defense. Most notable are two newcomers who are talented enough to be on MLS rosters right now: Wilfred Williams and Jimmy Fiscus.
Center midfield is a bit in flux at the moment, and a holding mid needs to emerge to partner with Louis Dargent (or at least provide solid play until Dave Edwardson is healthy).
Up top, Pirmann has options galore, but his biggest test will be to figure out which combination of Lawson/Mentzingen/Moorman/Adkins/Deakin/Green/Saydee works the best. That’s not even mentioning intriguing new players such as Jake Rudel, Adan Garcia, and Mystery International Forward.
Formation & Tactics
Heading into last season, there were several major problems that needed to be addressed if City was to bounce back from a disappointing 2016. Pirmann fixed them all.
(1) Production from the forwards – Shawn Lawson returned and led the team with 9 goals.
(2) Defending the counter-attack – This, and the overall defense was much improved; City allowed 1.36 goals per game, a marked improvement over a lackluster 1.75 in 2016.
(3) Goalkeeper consistency – There was a seamless transition at the number one from Colin Miller to Fernando Pina, with Nate Steinwascher providing strong play in spot duty.
Where then should City look to improve in 2018? My advice would be to continue the upward trajectory begun with last year’s work and aim for even better results. That’s not exactly a revolutionary piece of coaching philosophy, but in terms of numbers, it would look something like this. (14 league matches in 2017, 12 in 2018)
2017 League Matches: Goals For = 29 (2.07/match), Goals Against = 19 (1.36/match)
2018 BIR Targets: Goals For = 27 (2.25/match), Goals Against = 15 (1.25/match)
More generally, stay strong against the counter and keep up last year’s trend of battling to the very end of every match. That may sound like empty coachspeak, but it’s the exact attitude that made the 2017 team so successful.
Q.E.D.
Projected Starting XI
This was much tougher to figure out than in years past since most positions have multiple players who seem nearly equal in ability.
- I give Pina a slight edge at goalkeeper, and Steinwascher will push him.
- The backline looks to be at least two-deep at every position – I’d feel pretty darn comfortable with Bentley – Miller – S. Harris – Stephens.
- Center midfield is more of a question mark, but I think Brandon Bartel will eventually push through to start next to Louis Dargent (more on both below).
- The attack should be just as effective, if not more so, than last year’s. With the depth and variety of forwards available, I wonder if we’ll see any two-striker formations – possibly Lawson-Rudel or Mentzingen-Moorman?
- Saydee and Mentzingen could easily swap positions, and they’ll likely do so regardless of where they line up at kickoff. Danny Deakin plays with a similar roaming style, so it will be crucial for whoever’s at holding mid to stay at home and only push up when appropriate.
Player Predictions
Key Player: Louis Dargent (CM) City is loaded with quality attackers and defenders, but the team will require good central midfield play in order for things to truly click. As the best player at his position, Dargent can provide precisely that. The big man in the middle gave a glimpse of his abilities at the beginning of last season; now, free of any college obligations, his role will expand significantly.
Breakout Player: Rafa Mentzingen (ST/AM) Supporters were understandably disappointed when it became clear that Tyrone Mondi wasn’t returning for 2018. While it would be great to have The Mouse back on the team, Rafa Mentzingen is a more than adequate replacement. There’s a good possibility he’ll be City’s most dangerous attacking player from the minute he steps on the field, and he’s a safe pick to lead the team in goals.
Unsung Hero: Danny Deakin (AM) While he may be overshadowed by Mentzingen and Cyrus Saydee, Deakin is poised to have an excellent season. There’s also a decent chance he’ll play so well that the term, “unsung,” won’t apply to him at all.
Wildcard: Brandon Bartel (CM) With Dave Edwardson recovering from surgery, the center midfield spot next to Louis Dargent is up for grabs. Bartel is young, but his combined vision and passing ability may be unmatched by anyone on the team. If he can come close to performing at Aaron Franco’s level, City’s midfield will be a force.
Black Arrow Pick: Cyrus Saydee (AM) No player has ever won The Black Arrow Award twice. Surrounded with an excellent supporting cast, and at the height of his powers, Cyrus will be the first.
